**The steelhead trout daily bag limit is 2 from September 1 until May 15. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches.**

Western Basin

Recent strong winds greatly limited fishing opportunities.

Heading into the late fall season the Bass Islands, Kelleys Island and nearshore from Port Clinton to Marblehead will all produce walleye. Stable conditions and clear water produce the best results. The best technique to catch fall trophies is trolling crankbaits around open water baitfish during the day or along rocky shorelines at night. Shore anglers can also catch walleye from western basin piers after dark as walleye move inshore to feed on shiners and gizzard shad.

Muddy water resulting from the strong winds has slowed perch fishing in the western basin. The best yellow perch fishing had been around the northern cans (A, B, and C) of the Camp Perry range, north of the Toledo water intake, at the Toledo Harbor Light, north of West Sister Island, off of Kelleys Island shoal, and north of the Marblehead lighthouse. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish that have averaged around 8 inches with several catches averaging in the 9-10 inch range.

Central Basin

When conditions have allowed the best walleye fishing has been from Cedar Point to Vermilion. The best technique to catch fall trophies is trolling crankbaits around open water baitfish during the day or along rocky shorelines at night. Shore anglers can also catch walleye from piers after dark as walleye move inshore to feed on shiners and gizzard shad.

Steelhead fishing has been very good and are being caught off the Fairport, Ashtabula and Conneaut breakwalls in 10 to 25 feet and also in the Ashtabula and Grand Rivers, and the mouth of Conneaut Creek. Anglers are catching steelhead trolling green/white, red/white, black/purple, chartreuse, and silver/blue spoons.

Yellow perch fishing has been very good off of the Vermilion breakwall in 35 to 38’ of water, off of the Lorain lighthouse, northwest of Gordon State Park (Cleveland) in 42 feet, north of Edgewater State Park (Cleveland) in 40 feet, north-northwest of Fairport Harbor in 45 to 60 feet, and north of Conneaut in 35 to 40 feet. Perch spreaders with shiners or crappie rigs fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Shore fisherman are catching yellow perch at the Lorain ore dock pier using perch spreaders with shiners or crappie rigs.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in harbor areas, and in 15 to 25 feet along the shoreline in Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva and Fairport Harbor. Fish were caught on goby- colored tube jigs, crankbaits, and jigs tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers.

Steelhead fishing has been very good at the mouths of the rivers and major streams. Water levels remain low in the main channels on the rivers and streams. Anglers are catching fish at the Lorain Ore dock, East 72nd St Pier in Cleveland, Euclid Creek (Wildwood State Park), Chagrin River, Grand River, Arcola Creek, Geneva State Park, Conneaut Creek and along the Conneaut west breakwall. Shore anglers are using small spinners and spoons, and jigs and maggots rigged with a split shot under a light bobber.

The Lake Erie surface temperature is 53 degrees off of Toledo and 59 degrees off of Cleveland.